Tumbler press



Jan. 9, 1940.

T. H. sLoAN 2,186,179

TUMBLER PRESS Filed June 19, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l 57 F" E'. l y 53 30 645 19 eo i `60 l 8 4E :nu I v l5 "-61- -62 Y :i I 17 16 51 e ',64 :'fffff L S ulg-@11. 2428 6 33 9 J 2 @1 o 1 131i 35' 83 la 76 I ,e 1 7a 8 v z84 1 .f

INVENTOR 7140401., y, .5,20%

ATTORNEY .im 9, 1940. T. 'HQ SLOAN 2,186,179

` TUMBLER PRESS Filed June 19, 1956 y 5 sheets-sheet JNVENTOR .BY m6.

ATTORNEY Jan. 9, 1940. 1'. H. sLoAN TUMBLER PRESS Filed Junel 19, 1936 5SheetSV-Sheet 4 INVENTOR .oeu'

ATTORNEY T. H. SLOAN TUMBLER PRESS Jan, 9, 1940.

Filed June 19, 1936 5 sheetssheetk 5 v `INVENTOR 7M! A( jim 7WzaaMggBvh-r Patented Jan. 9, 1940 G. M. S. Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 19,1936, Serial No. 86,144

12 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements inglassware-forming machines, more particularly to tumbler presses forforming thinwalled glassware and thin glass tumblers by pressing a smallmass of molten glass in a -suitable mold very rapidly.

The making of glass tumblers in tumbler presses has beei unsuccessfulbecause of numerous diiiiculties inherent in the design and operation`of tumbler pres/ses, among which the major diilculties are theirregularity of stroke or travel vof `the forming plunger; misalignmentof the molds and plunger causedv by irregular and excessive thermalexpansion of the molds and mold tables; and rapid solidiflcation of theglass in the mold due to the insuicient speed of the mold operation. v

In accordance with the present invention, these and other diiiicultiesare overcome by providing for a steady and controlled movement of theforming plunger at relatively high speed and by designing the molds andmold table of minimum mass with controlled cooling to minimize thermalexpansion of the molds and mold table. to eliminate misalignment of themolds and plunger and minimize the thermal differential, if any, betweenthe metal of the mold and plunger, resulting in the formation oftumblers of uniform and concentric wall section.

Further objects4 of the invention are to provide a multiple mold tumblerpress embodying a novel construction of molds and table in which themolds are mounted for ready removal, and which is designed to eect asubstantial reduction in the size and mass of the molds and tablewhereby'error due to thermal expansion is reduced and because of itsreduced mass the machine may be indexed at highspeed thereby increasing`production.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a relatively smallmold table designed to-receive a large number of molds,l and because ofthe reduction in mass of the metal employed, permit the use of betterquality materials, therebyobtaining greater accuracy and consequentincreased production of ware having uniform walls. Still a furtherobject of the invention is the adaptation of the mold and moldsupportato-thependently of the pneumatic actuating medium by which theplunger is moved and to provide for the positive retraction of theplunger to prevent sticking thereof in the molds. y

The type of glassware forming apparatus to 6 which this inventionappertains, consists of a plurality of molds mountedon a rotatablesupport or table, the molds being adapted to receive a mass of moltenglass during a dwell period of the table, after which and in the sameperiod of dwell, l0 a suitably shaped plunger acts upon the glass in themold to form the desired article.

The invention will become more a parent from a consideration of theaccompan ng drawings constituting a part hereof in which like referencecharacters designate like parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section partially in elevation of a ware-formingapparatus embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section partially in ele- 20 vation, taken `alongthe line'2-2, Fig'. 1;

Fig. 3 a partial plan and crs-sectional view taken along the line 3-3,Fig. l; f

Fig. 4 a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 an enlarged detail of a cross-section through a mold and aportion of the mold support or table; v

Fig. 6 a cross-section partially in elevation of a valve and camconstituting a portion of a timer 30 mechanism;

Fig. 7 a plan view o f the ejector arm with the spring c over removed;

Fig. 8 an elevational view of the ejector arm of Fig. 7 35 Fig. 9 a.Vertical section partially in elevation of a plunger and plungermounting for the ware-forming apparatus of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 10 a cross-sectional view of the plunger taken on the line Ill-Ill,Fig. 9.

As shown in Fig. 1, the structure therein illustratedy comprises a basel on whichv a combined table support and gear housing 2 is -slidablymounted to allow for adjustment of the mold centers with the formingplunger. 'I'he housing 45 2 is secured to the base I by clamps 3 andscrew bolts 4, Fig. 2. 'I'he top wall of the housing 2 is elevated toform a standard 5 in which is mounted a journal bearing 6 for receivingthe journal of a column 'l depending from a table 50 portion 8 which maybe termed a mother-ring for a plurality of forming moldsS, which areangularly spaced therein. The table column 1 is of hollow constructionand is provided with a llange l0 that is bolted on the upper face yof agear Il 55 gear wheel II is provided with a hub IIa for mounting on thereduced end I2 of the column 1, which is provided with and supported byan s anti-friction bearing I3 provided as a. bottom support for the moldtable.

The mother-ring or table portion 8 has a depth equal to orslightlygreater than the heights of the molds 9, the molds being mounted in thering 'in cylindrically bored sockets. The sockets and, consequently, themolds are closely spaced to maintain the table at a minimum diameter sothat the moment of inertia of the table and molds about the table axismay be kept or is reduced to a A supporting bracket I4 is bolted on topof housing 2 beneath table 8 to prevent distortion of the latter whenmolds 9 are subjected to the ware-forming pressures.

While air may be employed as a cooling medium for the molds, the moldsand table are especially designed to employ water or low pressure steamas a cooling or temperature regulating medium. 'Ihis cooling of themolds and adjoining table parts is shown in Figs. l and 5 of thedrawings, and consists of a helical groove I5 on the outer periphery ofthe molds 9 which, when .the mold is seated in the table, registers withan annular groove I6 adjacent the bottom of the cylindrical bores of thetable and a drilled hole I1 adjacent the top of the table. The openingI1 communicates through passage I8 with the hollow interior of the tableand column 1. Screws I9 are provided to control the size of opening ofthe passages I 8, thereby regulating the supply of the cooling medium tothe helical grooves I5 of the molds. The cooling medium, such as water,is supplied through conduit 20 extending centrally into the hollowcolumn 1 and the iiuid or air, whichever is employed, is conducted tothe lower extremity of the hollow column and then circulates on theinner wall of the hollow column, rising upwardly against a hollow plug2I that caps-ofi the top of the column. The uid then ows throughpassagesy I8 to the helical groove I5 of the molds 9, thence around theannular groove I1lof the table into conduits 22 extending into anahnular tank 23 that collects the waste uid from the pipes 22, Fig. 5.The drain pipes 24 are provided to remove the uid from the waste tank23, which is a stationary member in which waste pipes 22 are freelymovable with the rotation of the mold table 8.

'I'he `molds 9 are provided with ejectors or knock-out plugs 26, moreclearly shown in Fig( nger 29 is steadied in its movement by abifurcated member 32 engaging a tongue 33 provided in an upright frame34 mounted on and attached to the gear housing 2. The application andrelease of pressure in cylinder 3l) is controlled by a timer mechanismsuch as shown in Fig. 6 in which conduits 35 and 36 are connected to thecylinder 30, and the valve 31, controlling the admission and emission ofpressure to the Y 2,186,179 commonly termed a Geneva gear wheel. The

cylinder, is actuated by a cam 38 mounted on a shaft carryingv cams thatcontrol the movement and dwell periods of the mold table and theapplication of pressure to the plunger. Such timing mechanism is ofconventional form and in general use in the industry and, of itself,constitutes no part of the present invention.

A vertical frame or column 49 is mounted on the base I adjacent thetable frame or gear box 2, and is provided with a slide 4I that carriesthe shaping plunger 42, that is of the shape of the inner surfacecontour of the tumbler 43 to be formed in the .molds 9. 'I'he plunger isprovided with a spring plate 44, Fig. 9, that is biased by a pluralityof springs 45 nested around the plunger. The spring plate supports amold ring 44a which forms a closure at the top rim of the forming mold,and springs 45 provide a certain amount of pressure on the mold ringindependently of any pressure exerted on the plunger. The spring plate44 is provided with guide rods 46 that are screwed at their lower endsto the spring plate and rods 46 further extend through a guide plate 41to permit sliding movement of the rods therein. Nuts 48 on the ends ofrods 46 constitute abutments for plate 41. Tension of springs 45 isvariable by adjustment of lock nuts 49 on the plunger column.

The plunger slide 4I is movable in guides 50, Fig. 3, to maintain properalignment of the plunger in its vertical movement. The head 4I isattached by a swivel connection 5I to a piston rod 52 extending througha packing gland 53 of a cylinder 54. Piston 55 adapted for reciprocatingmovement in cylinder 54 is actuated by fluid pressure supplied throughthe ports 56 and 51 connected to conduits 35 and 36, Fig. 6. A threadedcap or end member 58 is provided in cylinder 54 to adjust the stroke ofthe piston 55 in accordance with the degree of the plunger movement,thus saving compressed air and quickening the plunger movements.

The reciprocating slide or head 4I' carrying the plunger 42 is providedwith a threaded stud 60 having an adjusting nut 6I, one end of whichcooperates with another threaded stud 62 that carries a follower 63,which rests on a cam 64. Cam -64 supports the plunger slide andassociated parts in the downward'movement of the plunger until justbefore the ware is finished, the shape or contour of the cam 64determining the character of the plunger movement, this beingsignificant as will be hereinafter explained in the description of theoperation of the apparatus.

'I'he table and plunger movements are effected and cro-ordinated bymeans of the following drive mechanism as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

A motor 61 is mounted on the base I and through a pinion 68 drives gearwheel 69 of a counter-shaft 10, which is journalled in a bracket 1Imounted on the base I. A clutch 12 is vprovided to disconnect the entireoperating 'mechanism from the motor 61. A cam shaft 13 piston 55.

The table drive consists of s pinion 1s that interacts with a.gear-wheel 30 mounted, on a 84a which is adjustably mounted uponthe/base of housing 2. Worm gear .83 is provided with a crank arm 85having a guideway 86 for a slide lblock 81 carried by a bifurcateddriver 88, one

end of whichl is of cylindrical convex shape to engage the concavesurface 89 of the Geneva wheel Il. The driver 88 also carries a roller90 that engages slots 9| of the Geneva wheel Il. The slot 9i of theGeneva wheel is radial and is tangent to the circular path of thedriving roller 80 at the time the rollerenters and leaves the slot. Byadjusting bracket 84a, the stud shaft 84 is adjusted to vary its centerdistance with the axis of the convex portion of the driver, therebyvarying the indexing and dwell periods of the Geneva wheel il. As themold table 8 rotates with the Geneva wheel I I, a longer molding andshorter index period is obtainable than with the ordinary type of moldtable drive.

'Ihe operation of the above described apparatus is brieiiy as follows:As is customary practice, the tumbler press is coordinated with a glassfeeding mechanism that supplies segregated charges of molten glass tothe forming molds 8, and the feeder operating parts are coordinated withthe tumbler press through the timer mechanism by connecting such partsto the valve box 18, Fig. 2 of the drawings.

When motor 61 is energized the machine is set in motion with the formingmolds 9 disposed at a glass receiving station beneath a point ofdischarge of the glass feeding mechanism (not shown) and a suitable moldcharge or gob is dropped in the mold. Through the operation of theGeneva gear mechanism, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the mold table 8 issubjected to angular movement intermittently, there being dwell periodsduring which the mold charges are received and the4 ware is formed -bythe plunger pressing or displacing the glass within the mold.

As previously described, the shaping' plunger.

42 is synchronized with the movement of the mold table 8 through a timeror 'valve box 18.

When a mold with its charge of molten glass has assumed the positionbeneath the plunger, as shown in Fig. 1, and is in register therewith,air will be supplied through the port 56 of cylinder 54, causing thepiston 55 to travel downwardly, moving the plunger slide 4I carrying theplunger 42.

As previously explained, downward movement of the plunger and slide isentirely controlled by cam 64 against which the pressure of piston 55 isexerted. Consequently, the rate of plunger movement is in accordancewith the fall of the cam surface of the cam 6.4 which is such that theplunger speed is greatest at the beginning of the plunger movement andgradually decreases at the end of the plunger stroke.

While cam 64 controls the rate of downward movement of the formingplunger 42, it does not control the distance of the plunger travel. Thecam is of such contour that when the plunger 42 is about to reach theend of its pressure stroke,

t roller 63 leaves the cam surface, allowing the full pressure incylinder 54, plus the weight of slide mechanism 4I to act upon ,theglass in the mold 9. By means of a conventional form pressure regulatorin the conduit 35, Fig. 6, which is connected to port 56 of cylinder 54,Fig. l, there is just enough force to produce the ware without producingwhat is termed a pressure crack.

Because -oi' the stability of the plunger slide 4|, plunger 42 will notbe subjected to misali'gnment, and because of the relatively compactform of mold table and molds, eliminating the excessive radialproportions of prior art devices, the

.thermal expansion causing distortion of the mold table isalsoeliminated, thus assuring the production of tumblers of uniform andconcentric walls, which is especially important when relativelythin-walled tumblers are desired.

The forming of the tumbler by the plunger acting upon the glass startsat high speed, the speed reducing as the article is nearing completion,and when the glass displaced by the plunger 42 strikesthe mold ring 44a,it is near the end of its forming stroke. The excess pressure'developedin the pressure cylinder 54 assures contact between the roller and camduring the downward travel of the plunger, thereby eliminating allpossibility of jerky travel of the plunger. The formation of thetumblers is thus scientifically controlled with resultant uniformity inthe quality of the product. Upward movement of the plunger` 42 isentirely effected by piston 55.

mold alignment due to variations in the thermal properties of the moldmetal and table parts.

By employing the inserted'shell type molds in a mother-ring, so-called,the distance between molds is greatly reduced, which in conjunctionlwith the light-weight of the molds and table, rmakes it possible toindex the machine at high speed. 'Ihis is important astheindexing timecontrols the time that the gob is received in a mold and the pressingtakes place. The molds may be readily removed and are interchangeable'for different sizes and shapes of tumblers,-which also requires change,of the plunger 42.

By employing'the crank slide 85 on worm gear 83 to actuate crank 88 forindexing the Geneva gear wheel, rapid indexing is obtainable whichpermits maximum dwell between indexing periods `resulting in increasedcapacity for the press.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated anddescribed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodications may be made in the details of construction without departingfrom the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. The method of making pressed tumblers outer contour o f the' finishedarticle with a supply of moltenl glass', forming the charge by aplunger'shaped to the inner dimensions of the finished article bysubjecting the plunger to positive pressure of sufiicient force to formthe ware, and controlling the plunger travel independently of the degreeof pressure to subject it to a controlled downward movement.

2. The method of making pressed tumblers and the like comprisingcharging a mold with molten glass. forming the charge by subjecting -itto pressure of a vertically movable `plunger in alignment withv the moldcontrolling the pressure of the pllmger to an amount :lust sufdcient toform the glassware in the mold, and controlling the v which comprisescharging a mold shaped to the rate of downward movement of the plungerindependently of the pressure acting upon the plunger and the resistanceof the glass in the mold.

3. Apparatus for forming tumblers and the like comprising a mold forreceiving a charge of mol- 5 ten glass, a vertically movable plunger inalignment with the mold and adapted to press the glass therein, pressuremeans other than gravity :for subjecting the plunger to downwardmovement against the glass in the mold, and means independent of saidpressure means controlling the rate of plunger movement.

4. Apparatus for forming tumblers and the like comprising a mold forreceiving a charge vof molten glass, a verticallyI movable plunger inalignment with the mold and adapted to press the glass therein todesired shape, pressure means acting upon the plunger of a degreesuillcient to form the glass in the mold, and means independent oi thepressure means for controlling the rate of plunger travel during aportion of the pressing cycle.

5. Apparatus for pressing tumblers and the like comprising a mold tablehaving cylindrical bores in angularly spaced relation, molds embedded inthe bores of said table, said molds being closely spaced and said tablebeing of relatively small diameter, grooves formed in the outerperiphery of the molds and ported passages in said table communicatingwith the grooves of the mold and with `a source of cooling fluid, andmeans for supplying the cooling fluid under pressure to said moldgrooves.

6. Apparatus for pressing tumblers and the like as set forthin the nextpreceding claim characterized by the table having a hollow column andthe grooves on the outer periphery of said mold communicating with thehollow interior of the column, and means for circulating a coolingmedium vthrough the column and mold grooves.

'7. Apparatus for forming pressed ware comprising a base, a rotary tablemounted on said base, a vertical frame extending from the base having aplunger slide mounted thereon, a plunger in said4 slide and moldssupported by the table, said mold table having a drive mechanism housedtherebeneath and having a casing wall of the housing extending to andconstituting a journal for the table.

8. Apparatus for forming tumblers `land the 50 like comprising a moldfor receiving a .charge 0f molten glass, a vertically movable plunger inrying a plunger in alignment with the mold and adapted to press theglass therein, a rotatable cam constituting a movable abutment yon which'the .plunger slide rests during at least a portion of its travel, andiiuid pressure means for actuating the plunger to yleldingly urge itagainst the cam in its downward movement, said cam determining thecharacter and speed of the plunger stroke.

10. Apparatus for forming tumblers and the like comprising a mold forreceiving a charge of molten glass, a vertically reciprocal plunger invalignment with the mold and adapted to press the glass therein, andmeans for subjecting the plunger to a positive decelerating1 strokeindependently of the plunger actuating means and resistance to plungertravel in the glass of the mold.

1l. Apparatus for formingtumblers and the like comprising a mold forreceiving a charge of molten glass, a vertically reciprocal plunger inalignment with the mold and adapted to press the glass therein, fluidpressure actuating means for subjecting the plunger to downward move-vment against-the glass in the mold, and means independent of saidactuating means for positively controlling the reciprocal movementsofthe plunger.

12. Apparatus for pressing tumblers and the like comprising a mold tableof low heat mass, a plurality of molds mounted on said table, coolingmeans for said table and mo1ds, a reciprocating plunger in verticalalignment with the molds, means subjecting the mold table to rotarymovement, fluid pressure means for subjecting the plunger toreciprocatory movement in timed relation with the movement of the moldtable, and means independent of said iluid pressure actuating means forcontrolling the plunger travel in a predetermined manner.

THEoDoRE H.

